An intervention of sustainable weight change: Influence of self-help group and expectations.

Background: Obesity is one of the most challenging public health problems in Western societies. Group activities are a way to empower individuals to make sustainable lifestyle changes. Self-help groups enable individuals to share expectations and experiences on an equal basis.

Breastfeeding Rates and Programs in Europe: A Survey of 11 National Breastfeeding Committees and Representatives.

Introduction: Among the world's regions, the WHO European Region has the lowest rates of exclusive breastfeeding at the age of 6 months with approximately 25%. Low rates and early cessation of breastfeeding have important adverse health consequences for women, infants, and young children. Protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding are a public health priority.

Work-site wellness programmes in Sweden: a cross-sectional study of physical activity, self-efficacy, and health.

Unlabelled: In Sweden, a work-site wellness programme implies reimbursing some of the expenses for health-promoting activities. Although work-site wellness programmes are readily available in Sweden, a large number of employees elect not to participate.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of physical activity, self-reported general health assessment and self-efficacy with participation in a work-site wellness programme.

Expansion of the baby-friendly hospital initiative ten steps to successful breastfeeding into neonatal intensive care: expert group recommendations.

In the World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund document Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative: Revised, Updated and Expanded for Integrated Care, neonatal care is mentioned as 1 area that would benefit from expansion of the original Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The different situations faced by preterm and sick infants and their mothers, compared to healthy infants and their mothers, necessitate a specific breastfeeding policy for neonatal intensive care and require that health care professionals have knowledge and skills in lactation and breastfeeding support, including provision of antenatal information, that are specific to neonatal care. Facilitation of early, continuous, and prolonged skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo mother care), early initiation of breastfeeding, and mothers' access to breastfeeding support during the infants' whole hospital stay are important.

Expansion of the ten steps to successful breastfeeding into neonatal intensive care: expert group recommendations for three guiding principles.

The World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative: Revised, Updated, and Expanded for Integrated Care (2009) identifies the need for expanding the guidelines originally developed for maternity units to include neonatal intensive care. For this purpose, an expert group from the Nordic countries and Quebec, Canada, prepared a draft proposal, which was discussed at an international workshop in Uppsala, Sweden, in September 2011. The expert group suggests the addition of 3 "Guiding Principles" to the Ten Steps to support this vulnerable population of mothers and infants: 1.

A process-oriented breastfeeding training program for healthcare professionals to promote breastfeeding: an intervention study.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of process-oriented training in supportive breastfeeding counseling for midwives and postnatal nurses on the time lapse between the initial breastfeeding session, introduction of breastmilk substitutes and solids, and the duration of breastfeeding.

Materials And Methods: Ten municipalities in Sweden were randomized to either the intervention or control groups. The intervention included a process-oriented training program for midwives and postnatal nurses in the intervention municipalities.

Kangaroo Mother Care helps fathers of preterm infants gain confidence in the paternal role.

Aim: This article is a report on a descriptive study of fathers’ experiences of providing their preterm infants with Kangaroo Mother Care.

Background: During neonatal intensive care, fathers describe the incubator as a barrier and the separation from their infant as stressful. Fathers consider it important to be close to the infant, and performing Kangaroo Mother Care makes them feel an important participant in their infants' care.

Exclusive breastfeeding of low birth weight infants for the first six months: infant morbidity and maternal and infant anthropometry.

Background: to report anthropometry and morbidity among term low birth weight infants and anthropometry of their first time mothers during the first six months in relation to breastfeeding practice.

Methods: we examined data from a randomized controlled trial in Manila, the Philippines. Of the 204 mothers randomized, 68 mothers received eight postpartum breastfeeding counseling sessions, the rest did not.

When and why Filipino mothers of term low birth weight infants interrupted breastfeeding exclusively.

This paper makes use of data collected in a randomised controlled trial that was designed to test the efficacy of postpartum breastfeeding counselling to increase exclusive breastfeeding among term low birth weight infants in Manila during the first six months. Mothers were randomised to a control group or one of two home visit interventions: by trained breastfeeding counsellors or child care counsellors without breastfeeding support training. Sixty mothers received peer breastfeeding counselling while a further 119 mothers did not.

Application of the baby friendly hospital initiative to neonatal care: suggestions by Swedish mothers of very preterm infants.

The aim of this study was to obtain suggestions from mothers of very preterm infants regarding modification of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Thirteen mothers were interviewed 2 to 6 months after their infants' discharge from the hospital. The interviews generated 13 steps, which partly agree with the BFHI steps.

Postnatal peer counselling on exclusive breastfeeding of low-birthweight infants: a randomized, controlled trial.

Aim: Exclusive breastfeeding increases survival and optimizes growth of low-birthweight (LBW) infants. If supported, mothers can overcome the unique difficulties associated with breastfeeding from birth to 6 mo. We tested the efficacy of postnatal peer counselling among first-time mothers that aimed to increase exclusive breastfeeding of term LBW infants.

Growth under privileged conditions of healthy Swedish infants exclusively breastfed from birth to 4-6 months: a longitudinal prospective study based on daily records of feeding.

Aim: In most studies the methodology used to study growth in relation to breastfeeding patterns cannot ensure that exclusive breastfeeding has in fact occurred since birth. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth of healthy infants in Sweden in whom exclusive breastfeeding for the first 4-6 mo was ascertained through daily feeding records and to compare the results with the World Health Organization (WHO) "12-month breastfed pooled data set" and the Euro-Growth references for exclusively breastfed infants, as well as with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/WHO reference.

Methods: 147 exclusively breastfed infants and 325 non-exclusively breastfed Swedish infants, with a birthweight of > or = 3 kg, were included.

Breast-feeding in Europe--rationale and prevalence, challenges and possibilities for promotion.

The status reports and other information collected showed that interpretation of the data on breast-feeding prevalence and duration collected at national or regional level within European countries is difficult, since this information is not collected in every country or it is gathered under different criteria. However, there seem to be vast differences in prevalence of breast-fed children and breast-feeding duration between European countries and possibly within countries. There is a need to establish monitoring systems enabling comparability of data between countries.

Introduction of solids and formula to breastfed infants: a longitudinal prospective study in Uppsala, Sweden.

Unlabelled: The introduction of solids and formula was studied among 506 breastfed infants in Uppsala, Sweden, based on daily recordings during the first year. The mothers had previously breastfed at least 1 infant for at least 4 mo. Thirty-four per cent of the infants were introduced to solids before the age of 4 mo (4-6 mo is recommended in Sweden).

Exclusive breast-feeding is rarely practised in rural and urban Morogoro, Tanzania.

Objective: To investigate and compare feeding practices among infants of less than 7 months of age in a rural and an urban area in Tanzania.

Design: Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based interview of mothers and focus group discussions with extension workers and community leaders.

Setting: Eleven villages in a rural district and 10 wards in an urban district in the Morogoro region, Tanzania, west of Dar es Salaam.

Solids and formula: association with pattern and duration of breastfeeding.

Objectives: To study changes in pattern and duration of breastfeeding associated with the introduction of solids and formula.

Study Design: Descriptive longitudinal, prospective study.

Setting: The participants were recruited from the maternity ward in the University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden, between May 1989 and December 1992.

Body size at birth and blood pressure among children in developing countries.

Background: Studies in developed countries have shown that reduced fetal growth is related to raised blood pressure in childhood and adult life. Little is known about this association in developing countries, where fetal growth retardation is common.

Methods: In 1994-1995, we measured blood pressure in 1570 3-6-year-old children living in China, Guatemala, Chile, Nigeria and Sweden.

How exclusive is exclusive breastfeeding? A comparison of data since birth with current status data.

Background: There is no accepted and widely used indicator for exclusive breastfeeding since birth. Indeed, the difference between 'current status' data on exclusive breastfeeding and data on 'exclusive breastfeeding since birth' is rarely recognized. We used data from a longitudinal study to examine this issue.

The role of the Swedish Child Health Services in breastfeeding promotion.

Sweden has one of the highest breastfeeding incidence and duration rates among industrialized countries. Although the Child Health Services offer breastfeeding support to all mothers, there are geographical differences in breastfeeding frequency at different ages. The aims of this study were to describe the present activities in the Child Health Services regarding breastfeeding promotion and to find research evidence regarding interventions.

Breastfeeding patterns in relation to thumb sucking and pacifier use.

Objectives: To analyze the influence of thumb sucking and pacifier use on breastfeeding patterns in exclusively breastfed infants, on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and on the total breastfeeding duration.

Study Design: Descriptive, longitudinal, prospective study.

Setting: The subjects were recruited from a population of 15 189 infants born in the maternity ward at the University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden between May 1989 and December 1992.

Breastfeeding patterns in exclusively breastfed infants: a longitudinal prospective study in Uppsala, Sweden.

Exclusive breastfeeding was studied among 506 infants in Uppsala, Sweden, based on daily recordings during the first 6 mo. The mothers had previously breastfed at least one infant for at least 4 mo. Most of the mothers considered that they breastfed on demand.

Energy intake and physical activity during pregnancy in relation to maternal fat accretion and infant birthweight.

During the second pregnancy of 56 Swedish women resulting in a term birth, energy intake and physical activity were measured for 3 days at weeks 17 and 33. The values were related to maternal lean body mass, pregnancy weight gain, maternal fat accretion and infant birthweight by multiple linear regression analyses. A significant regression coefficient was found for energy intake at week 17 on maternal fat accretion.